If you refer to the 2012 standard, then its name is now F3+ or “post F3“, or “roadmap” : this means that it’s a F3 with new radar (AESA), new FSO (FSO-IT) and new MWR (DDM-NG).

Meteor is planned for 2015, as well as, maybe, an offensive jamming system, and a SATCOM antenna, all under this “post F3”

If you’re talking about the real last “F4” we could read about in the press, then, it could very well be some kind of mid-life upgrade for the Rafale :

Notionally, military officials are starting to discuss an F4 standard, while stressing that nothing concrete is planned right now. That configuration would be targeted for fielding around 2015-18. At the moment, it serves largely as a brainstorming function, says one project official.

It would likely be a large overhaul, on the scale of the shift from F1 to F2, which changed out the processing backbone of the fighter. The navy program official notes that around that time, the current processing capability will likely be headed toward its maximum and will need to be replaced. The F4 is being likened to the Mid-Life Upgrade program that the F-16 fleet has undergone.

Also on the agenda are subsystem enhancements and new weapons, including whether to add a suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) capability, electronic attack functions or a towed-decoy for self-protection. Right now, the latter is low on the priority list and the penalty in terms of loss of maneuverability is not seen as compensating for the added protection. Interest in a decided SEAD capability is relatively mild, as operational planners realize the combination of Spectra’s geolocation capability and the coming AASM bomb will give them an ability not just to suppress, but to destroy radar sites.

Link (March 2007)

Finally, according to our french magazine Technologie et Armement (T&A n°6 June 2007), something is expected to come by 2020/2025… This may significantly improve stealth and survivability, add CFT, M88-3, replace the radar and other sensors…
But in this case, the name is Rafale NG.

I think that the Aviation Week article is a bit out-dated, in fact, T&A get it right. The F4 or MLU will be the Rafale NG for 2020/25.

I think the Rafale might be in a better position here, though it’s also not that easy for the french forces to accept slower deliveries for a period of time.

The current delivery rate is under 1.3 per month. It’s extremely low, TOO low. Since Dassault has long said they could increase the production rate up to 3 Rafale a month, though i don’t know the conditions, i guess they still can increase the rate a bit, without additional delays for France…

The problem is that 2010 is the year when AESA will start production (deliveries in 2011). It may be a bit late…

http://www.ttu.fr/francais/Articles/ogivesnucleaires.html
According to this article (which deals with american nuclear bombs in Germany), the Typhoon, in Germany, may succeed the Tornado by 2010.

Thank you for all the details, Hyperion.;)

I’m French.

The French government and Dassault talk a lot during a hard day’s night. 😀

😀 Let’s cross our fingers…

2 news :

I remember Torpedo, in the former “Rafale news part II” thread, said that Spectra uses 2 AESA antenna.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1209299&postcount=533
At the time, Arthuro and I provided links showing that Spectra uses MMICs.

Actually, i’ve just discovered a PDF from Thalès that says that Spectra actually uses active arrays.

Conçu pour conférer au Rafale un avantage décisif dans toutes les situations, SPECTRA est un système de Guerre Electronique complètement intégré à l’avion grâce à l’utilisation des derniers concepts technologiques d’antenne active et d’analyse numérique. SPECTRA contribue ainsi, de façon majeure, à l’élaboration de la situation tactique et à la capacité de survie de l’avion face à des menaces air-air ou sol-air.

According to the magazine T&A, Spectra has 3 levels of jamming. Even in France, the third isn’t used, in case of spying.